Perception of Green Open Space as Medium of Therapy for Elderly

Abstract

The physical changes of the elderly are very visible when walking, because of the generated function of joints. The decline in various sensory functions causes the elderly to be easily senile. An elderly person who is in a green open space will have a different environmental perception from other elderly people. Differences in perception due to different cultural backgrounds, reasoning and experiences. This research is a consecutive research of previous preliminary one conducted on the elderly. The data obtained is the result of the perception of the elderly in the green open space by means of interviews. Physical data from green open spaces in the home environment, in the area around the house and outside the residential area are gathered through direct survey and from photographs of respondents. The results of the perception of the interaction between the elderly and nature in the green open space have benefits in the term of physical, psychological and social at the same time.